How A Day Designed Itself

This is my very first attempt to write letters to world leaders, and I have picked none other than to Benjamin Netanyahu himself. Who else to write to other than to a notorious student in the classroom, right?

I actually didn't realise that I was apart of a whole 'Write-a-thon' thing held by Amnesty International (a human rights group for those who don't know). It went on worldwide yesterday. There were a lot of cases exposed to the public for the public to respond and write about to any respective receiver, so I chose a case regarding a Palestinian youth detained without chargers (let alone trials) by who else other than the Israeli authorities.

I wonder if the Prime Minister even reads my letter anyway, I mean if he does, I hope he realises that Hamdi al-Ta'mari's (the youth's name) case is only a tiny (big) dot in a whole rough waves of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which requires a lot of calming efforts to be done.

Thinklab's Design Conference at the National Art Gallery, also held yesterday, was also a good exposure, though much of the issues are the same old issues only given an elevated experience -- especially when there was a politican too engaging in the discussion. What the hell is Malaysian design identity scores top; followed by roars demanding 'Democracy in Design' (non other from our counterparts in UiTM itself, so shall I say, bravo?) to the extent of suggesting a setting of a Malaysian 'Ministry of Design'.

It's interesting how a design conference also echoed a political talk, joined by Clive Kessler, Noraini Ahmad, Tunku Abdul Aziz and another panel (I don't know that guy, sorry!), held at Art for Grabs, held in Annexe CM which also took place yesterday. Of course, this one contained direct attacks, but it also beats around the same old (yet popular) questions. What is this nation becoming to? Where is this country going? Can the Malays survive without crutches? The Malays doesn't need crutches! You don't need crutches!

Or so I was told.

I found myself taking the LRT again back to KLCC to fetch my car. At least there were no people rushing into the train before people from the inside managed to go outside when the train stops -- you know what I mean? The 'kambing terlepas' effect, to frankly name it. Still I can't stop comparing our transit system to Singapore's MRT, whose system fared much better than London's underground and New York City's subway, though they still have that 'kambing terlepas' effect anyhow.

Yesterday was a cool example of how politics, history, culture, people, nationhood and design blending (im)perfectly, and trying to connect with each other. Ah, and travelling, too! Not realising this simple fact could be equal to the crimes of detaining innocent people like Hamdi al-Ta'mari -- even worse!

Posted in Shah Alam.